


Faith

by CrumblingAsh



Series: Fragile Things [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Feels, Flash Fic, Gen, Post-Avengers (2012), Science Bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-03 13:25:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrumblingAsh/pseuds/CrumblingAsh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Banner walks into the Tower with a bitter smile and hunched shoulders, leaving Tony behind, silent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Faith

* * *

 

Tony doesn’t know why he’s doing this.

He watches behind flashy sunglasses as Banner warily steps out of the car, the strap of his bag clutched so tightly in his hand that his knuckles are white from the effort. The easy relief from before is replaced with the untrusting, resigned look the billionaire has come to associate as normal for the quiet physicist, and he looks up (and up, and up) at the building as though convinced it’s going to come crashing down on top of him. There’s so many issues there, it’s like walking down the hall of an institution and hearing the fear and pain of every patient muffled against your ears.

Tony doesn’t do friends, not with new people (and Banner is very new). He steps around the car anyway, leg brushing the bumper as he approaches the other man without hesitation.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road. We go through this door, not that one – that’s for plebian overpaid workers who need security badges and health insurance-.” Unthinking, he grabs at the edge of Banner’s sleeve to pull him forward.

Tony doesn’t miss the minute flinch or the way Banner’s face shutters in an attempt to hide it as he slowly (carefully) pulls his arm away from Tony’s fingers. (He remembers the soldiers on the helicopters who didn’t try, the doctors at the base who did – Obie, who did and knew and did it anyway, anyway). He steps back immediately, keeping his easy smile.

“I’m not going to hurt you, big guy,” he tries casually, keeping his hands low and in sight as moves toward the door. He swipes his key card and enters the code without looking away, pushing the door open.

The other man blinks at him for a second, expressionless, and then shakes his head, a low, near inaudible chuckle bubbling up from his gut. He steps forward, pulling his bag in closer to his chest. His next words are so soft Tony’s not even sure if he’s meant to hear them.

“Yeah, well, everyone hurts me eventually.”

And Banner slips through the door and into the Tower with a bitter smile and hunched shoulders, leaving Tony behind, silent.

He actually doesn’t even know how to _do_ friends with new people.


End file.
